


show you off

by Hugabug



Category: Buzzfeed: The Try Guys
Genre: Drunkenness, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Miscommunication, Multi, basic try guy shenanigans, but not enough that it annoys you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 10:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12792741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hugabug/pseuds/Hugabug
Summary: "Anonymous asked: Aaaan! I love your writing style! But I just had my heart broken by your Zagene "why aren't we dating" fic! Would it be possible to ask for maybe a fluffy drabble where they realize they've been doing date stuff for a long time and are just sweet and together and maybe ned gets excited about their future wedding or something? Just not angsty please... I don't think my poor heart can take any more of that. (If you don't I still love your blog! Have a nice day!)"alternatively: buzzfeed execs told them to keep the pda to a minimum. eugene isn't happy about it, so he defies them in his own way. ned and keith are on board. zach's exasperation levels reach the freakin' roof.





	show you off

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This took a little longer than expected because… well. It ran away from me. BTW: It’s not a linear story. It’s intentionally spliced up, and it jumps back and forth in time.
> 
> Enjoy the cute.

1) “We’re not asking you to break up. All we’re asking is that you keep your physical displays of affection discrete in front of the camera.”

Somewhere in that sea of words, Zach knows that he should be at least a  _bit_  angry. But Ned beats him to it.

“Oh, so I can mention my wife and Keith can have Becky around, but they can’t act like themselves on camera?” he demands, green eyes burning with a temper that a lot of people forget he has. Zach inches away from him, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, and next to him, Keith tenses.

Eugene is silent.

He’s seated next to Ned, lips pursed into a very thin line, eyes narrowed in a calm but dangerous glare, back straight and stiff, on the defensive like some caged animal ready to fight. Seeing him like that makes Zach want to… do something? Hold his hand, or maybe just press the flank of his arm securely against Eugene’s? They’re relatively new to this, and though Eugene has proven to be quite clingy in private, Zach isn’t sure where they stand with semi-public displays of affection. He’s pretty ok with it, for the most part, but he and Eugene hadn’t really talked about it– Eugene isn’t the talking type, and Zach isn’t confrontational at all. Right now, though, Eugene looks like he could use something to ground him. Too bad he’d been instructed, the second they entered the room, to sit at least a seat away from Zach.

… In retrospect, that move was probably deliberate.

“That’s different.” the Buzzfeed exec tells Ned, jostling Zach out of his reverie. He says it in such a condescending, smooth voice, irritation ignites within Zach’s chest. “Your wife and Keith’s fiancee aren’t a part of the Try Guys–”

Keith scoffs, “What does that have to do with–”

“We wouldn’t want people viewing your videos just to see,” The exec waves a hand vaguely, in both Zach and Eugene’s directions. “This.”

Zach feels his face go red. From anger or embarrassment, he’s not so sure. “I’m pretty sure people watch our videos for the content.”

“Exactly.” The exec presses on, completely missing the point. “Have you ever thought how this might affect the content you produce? What if you break up, hm?”

“ _Excuse me_?”

The words are out of Zach’s mouth before he can stop himself. The exec looks at him expectantly, with an expression that’s balancing on a very thin line between patience and punishment. Daring him to comment one more time. Zach is very tempted to, in fact, his mouth opens to do just that when–

“What exactly is your definition of ‘discrete’?” Eugene asks, out of the blue. The exec startles, tearing his eyes away from Zach to regard Eugene with a bland smile. “Like, kissing or holding hands?”

“We would like to limit it to the occasional hand-holding. Nothing more.” the exec explains, seemingly relieved that at least one of them is reasonable.

“And this is just for the videos? The official ones?”

“Yes.”

Zach looks at Eugene, and Eugene, at that moment, looks at him.

And smiles.

It’s a charming one, but sarcastic around the edges. Zach knows that smile well. It’s one that always comes out every time he gets a leg up over someone. All mischievous glee and silent triumph.

Zach swallows then, very minutely, nods.

“Discrete,” Eugene echoes, turning to the exec, smile widening, sharp and all teeth. “For the official videos. Yeah. We can do discrete.”

Zach isn’t surprised that the next week, they suddenly have a vlog.

* * *

2) A warm and heavy lump of  _something_  falls on Zach, jolting him awake.

“ _Fuck_ – Ned, what the–” He yawns, groping around the bedside table for his glasses. He puts them on, rubbing his eyes all the while, and squints at his friend who’s grinning at him, a tray of coffee in one hand and a camera in the other. “Are you filming this?”

The arm around his waist tightens.

“Wakey-wakey!” Ned says, loudly, like the brash idiot that he is. “Eugene, wake up!”

Eugene, in response, buries his face into the nape of Zach’s neck. “I don’t want–”

“C’mon, rise and shine!”

The arm tightens again, pulling Zach closer, back against a firm chest– something he had thought was nearly impossible with how flushed close they are already. Automatically, he reaches an arm around and pulls on a lock of Eugene’s hair.

The arm loosens, but doesn’t let go.

“It’s 7 AM Ned,” Eugene groans, finally getting up. “What the hell–”

—

**suddenlyseymour**  oh my god, they’re CUDDLING   
 **view 32 more replies >>>**

* * *

3) Eugene takes his hand, and Zach, out of habit, looks around.

“What’re you looking for?” Eugene asks. He leans close, to whisper the question in Zach’s ear, even if the music around them is soft enough to talk normally. There’s whiskey on his breath and something sweet, like fruit juice– the smell itself is intoxicating. Zach feels very dizzy.

“Camera.” he slurs, blinking twice, trying in vain to drive the alcohol out of his very system. Eugene blinks with him, confused, a look Zach finds, to this day, to be adorable of Eugene. Not that he’d ever say that out loud– if he did, Eugene would stop doing it. And Zach didn’t want that. He hiccups, “Where’s the camera?”

“We’re not filming anything.” Eugene tells him, slowly. Like Zach had forgotten. But that can’t be, they’re always filming something. Besides, why else would Eugene hold his hand in such a public space? They only ever do this in private or in front of an audience. Eugene wouldn’t hold his hand just because.

Eugene’s eyes widen, and Zach wonders if he said all that out loud.

“You did.”

_Oh._  “Oh.”

He blinks a couple of times as another hiccup makes its way out of his system. Out of the haze, Eugene’s face becomes clearer, his mouth pursed into a thin line and his jaw set. He’s upset, Zach can tell, and Zach hates it when Eugene is upset.

“Is that what you think this is?” Eugene asks, soft and troubled. He’s still holding Zach’s hand, but the grip has loosened. “Is that what you think I’m doing?”

Zach is drunk, so his mouth runs; “Well, yeah. You pitched this whole vlog thing out of spite, didn’t you? I mean, you wanted to get one up on the boss, Bre– is it Bren _don_  or Bren _dan_?”

“Zach–”

“Or was it Brent? No. Brent’s the one who quit, right? The one with the beard–”

“ _Zach_.”

Zach’s mouth clicks shut.

Eugene’s closer now, having scooted over whilst Zach prattled on. He’s right in Zach’s space, warm and solid, and Zach wants to tuck his head under his chin and sleep. But he stops himself before he could, mindful of where they are and who can see, because– because–

“I like showing off.” Eugene says, in a whisper. His breath fans across Zach’s face, still smelling of whiskey and fruit. Zach inhales deeply, like a man drowning. “I like showing you off. I don’t care who sees. I want them to know that you’re  _mine_.”

And maybe it’s the alcohol, or maybe it’s the way his heart is pounding, heavy, in his chest– either way, Zach swallows, hard, and entwines their fingers together.

“Yeah,” he says. “Ok.”

Eugene laughs. “You’re drunk, Kornfeld.”

Zach squints at him. The world is tipping on its side, but Eugene is still very clear amongst it all. His hair falls over his eye, just like it always does, and under the strobe lights his face is guarded, brows drawn in a frown. He still looks upset– not as much as before, but still. There’s a tension around his mouth, a deliberating quirk on his lips. There are words sitting at the tip of his tongue, Zach can tell, and he looks like he doesn’t know if he can say them.

Zach tips forward, face landing in the crook of Eugene’s neck.

“Take me home.” is the last thing he says before closing his eyes.

* * *

4) He holds the needle carefully as he adjusts the camera so that all of them are within frame. Once he’s satisfied, he explains the routine he goes through every twice a month and turns back to both Ned and Keith. “Have you guys seen this before?”

They both shake their heads.

“Eugene, you’ve seen this, right?”

“I was the one who gave it to you the first time.”

Zach shrugs in the direction of the camera before handing it to Ned and proceeds to demonstrate how to administer the medicine. He winces for a moment, feeling the sight prick of pain in his abdomen, before releasing a sigh of relief once it’s done.

“And now you put the rest of it up your butt?”

“Actually– Yeah. Yeah, would you mind?”

From somewhere amongst the crew, Eugene shouts, “Hey, only I can do that!”

Despite himself, Zach laughs.

—

**OnlyIsabelle**  ARE THEY DATING??????????  
 **view 134 more replies >>>**

* * *

5) They’re in a cab, that much Zach can tell. His cheek is pressed against Eugene’s shoulder, Eugene’s cheek pressed against his hair. In front of him, he could just make out the glowing green numbers on the taxi clock.  _1:26 am. 8/16/17._

He giggles. “Six months.”

Eugene takes in a sharp gasp, jostling his shoulder. Zach whines.

“Sorry, sorry.” he says, pressing a hesitant kiss on Zach’s hair in apology. “Sorry–”

Zach closes his eyes.

“I love you.”

* * *

6) “So we’re at the hospital right now, getting my results–”

“Oh. Some guy just passed by.”

“I look like I’m talking to myself, I feel silly now.”

“It’s fine– here I’ll hold the camera.”

—

**Misty2456**  so they both went to zach’s check up together because…?  
 **View 12 more replies >>>**

* * *

7) Zach discovers, about six months into their relationship, that Eugene literally cannot keep his mouth shut when he is extremely giddy.

He realizes this a little too late.

“I will be here to collect you or your body in the morning.”

Zach suppresses the urge to roll his eyes. The danger is hyped up for the sake of the video, so he knows they aren’t technically going to be on their own. But, unsure if the camera can sense his discomfort and exasperation, he schools his face into something vaguely resembling trepidation.

“Ready? Set. Go!”

Ned and Eugene take off running, shouting expletives at each other as they do. Actual children.

Zach sighs, “Can I get a hug?”

“Yeah, of course,” Keith says, wrapping his arms around the smaller man, patting his back. “Good luck.”

“I hope you don’t die.”

“Ditto,” Keith pauses. “Woops, incoming–“

Suddenly, there’s a flash of plaid and shock of black hair that appears just in Zach’s peripheral. Without warning, two hands grab him by the face, gentle yet firm, and brings his head close enough for a kiss on the cheek.

It’s quick and it’s not remarkable. Nevertheless, it burns like a brand.

“I love you,” Eugene says, bouncing like a little boy. “Don’t die.”

Zach, despite the reddening of his cheeks, finally gives in and rolls his eyes. “Love you, too.” It comes out a mumble, the words still so new, having only been acknowledge the week before. Nevertheless, Eugene grins, bright and unbelievably happy. It’s a good look on him. Zach grins back. “Try not to kill Ned for food.”

“No promises!”

He takes off, calling for Ned with another heart-felt “Fuck you!” and after Zach shakes his head in exasperation, he turns back to Keith–

Zach groans. “What?”

“That’s  _new_.” Keith giggles, high pitched and girlish, a weird sound coming from a man who is nearly six feet tall. His eyes brows are wiggling up and down too, doing a little dance of absolute delight, and Zach feels his cheeks redden just a little bit more.

“Ok. I’m leaving.” he says, turning away from his friend and quickly marching into the forest. “ _Bye_!”

“Ok!” Keith calls after him. The crew laughs, a warped imitation of Keith’s initial giggle. Zach ignores them. “I’ll see you or your body here tomorrow!” And even if there isn’t any, Zach hears innuendo. One of Keith’s many talents.

“ _Bye_ , Keith.” Zach says, like he can drive the man away with his sheer power and will. The crew laughs again, and Zach swings the camera to them. “ _Bye_ , crew!”

They wave, and once Zach is alone, camera pointed up ahead, he allows himself a little smile.

Ok. Back to work.

* * *

8) Their editor keeps the footage in, at Eugene’s request. Zach really, _really_  hopes they don’t get fired.

A day after uploading, an email pops up.

_To: Mr Kornfeld, Mr Lee Yang_

_You win._

_Regards,  
Branton Wilis_

Eugene frowns. “What kind of name is  _Branton_?”

Zach laughs and kisses him. Somewhere to their left, Steven cat calls.

If Eugene flips him off after, well. That’s no one’s business.

—

**Misty2456**  3:56 i would like to thank not only god but also jesus

> **OnlyIsabelle** AMEN
> 
> **suddenlyseymour**  I KNEW IT I KNEW THEY WERE DATING HAHAHA COUGH IT UP FUCKERS

**View 245 more replies >>>**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Ok, so I know the chronology of it is confusing, so here it is in order (from beginning to end), bear with me:
> 
> [1], [a couple of months time jump], [3, 5,], [6, 4, (zach’s autoimmune disease vlog)], [7 (alone in the wilderness video)], [8 (after the “alone in the wilderness” video)], [2 (no. 2 is suppose to take place while they’re in alaska)]


End file.
